Ethoxylated tallowamines and other compounds have various uses, such as surfactants and emulsifiers. However, the tallowamine raw material can be expensive. In addition, ethoxylated alkylamine surfactants of the prior art is that when included in concentrate formulation, they tend to be an irritant to the eyes.
A further drawback of ethoxylated alkylamine surfactants of the prior art is that when water is added to them, they tend to form a stiff gel which adds to the complexity and expense of manufacturing formulations containing such surfactants, by making it difficult to clean vessels and pipes. In practice, this problem is alleviated by adding an anti-gelling agent, such as polyethylene glycol to the surfactant.
European Patent No. 0 290 416 to Forbes, et al. discloses compositions of glyphosate salts comprising ethoxylated alkylamine surfactants having less than 15 moles of EO. For example, a composition is disclosed comprising the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate and an ethoxylated cocoamine surfactant having an average of 5 moles of EO. It is taught by this patent that certain herbicidal efficacy advantages are obtainable with such compositions by comparison with compositions where the EO level in the surfactant is around 15 moles.
United Kingdom Patent No. 1,588,079 to Texaco Development Corporation discloses examples of such surfactants and methods for preparing them, and suggests that they are useful as detergents, dispersants, wetting agents and emulsifiers. Surfactants disclosed have the formula: ##STR2## where R.sub.1 is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 alkyl; R.sub.2 is methyl; R.sub.3 is hydrogen; m is a number from 1 to 5; and x and y are average numbers such that x+y is in the range from 2 to 20.
It would be desirable if surfactant compounds with similar functionalities to the ethoxylated alkylamines used in the prior art, but without some of their attendant disadvantages could be discovered.